Coming Back To You
by XOXOJordan
Summary: Butterflies filled her stomach as she placed a hand on the door. She had to do this for McKenzie. She had to do this for herself. Taking one last deep breath she stepped inside ready for the conversation she had been scared to have the last five years.
1. Chapter 1

**I just started watching One Tree Hill and I am in love with Brooke and Lucas. Anyways I'm sure this storyline has been done before but I hope you guys enjoy it anyways. It's my first One Tree Hill fan fiction.**

**Brooke moved away the summer before senior year with her parents. When she was in California she realized she was pregnant with Lucas's baby. Now Its five years later. Brooke lives in LA with her daughter. Peyton and her are still best friends, Peyton recently moved back to Tree Hill. Nathan and Haley had there son Jamie. Karen had Lily and is married to Andy. Lucas and Lindsey were engaged but they no longer are. **

Prologue

Brook Davis walked down the familiar streets of Tree Hill. Her hometown. The place she spent 17 years of her life growing up. In the past five years not much has seemed to change. Teenage boys played basketball down at the river court. There girlfriends smiling and laughing as they watched the game everybody in this town loved. She passes the night club TRIC, her best friend Peyton now ran. There were fliers up about the annual Breast Cancer Awareness benefit Peyton threw every year. Soon she ended up at the place were she had spent most of her time. Karen's Cafe Butterflies filled her stomach as she placed a hand on the door. She had to do this for McKenzie. She had to do this for herself. Taking one last deep breath she stepped inside ready for the conversation she had been scared to have the past year and a half.


	2. Chapter 2

"Pey I don't know what to do." Brooke said with a sigh as she sat down on her bed.

"Brooke I think it's time you call Lucas."

"I know." She said as she fell back onto the bed. "I'm just scared."

"This is Lucas Scott were talking about." Peyton told her. Even though Peyton was back in Tree Hill after an internship in LA and Brooke was still in LA the two have remained fairly close. She was one of the few people who actually new Brooke's secret. Not that Brooke would ever consider McKenzie to be a secret. "He is one of the most understanding guys in the world. When it comes to you that is." She said laughing.

"This is big Pey. This isn't just about the two of us anymore. It's about McKenzie."

"You have devoted the last year and a half of your life to taking care of McKenzie. Your doing a great job B."

Brooke hadn't realized until she felt one fall onto her shoulder that she was crying.

"Mommy." A tiny voice yelled from down the hall. "Kenzie is up." Brooke said sitting up and heading down the hall. "I'll call you later."

"Give Kenz a kiss from her favorite aunt."

"I will." Brooke said as she hung up the phone and walked into her daughters bedroom. McKenzie was laying curled up in her bed hugging her baby blanket she couldn't go with out. "What's wrong baby girl?" Brooke asked as she came and sat down next to her rubbing her back. "Does your belly hurt?"

Kenzie nodded. "uh hu."

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

McKenzie rolled over to look at her mom. "Monsters Inc?" She asked with her baby blue eyes staring at her. They reminded her of her dad every time she looked into them. Making her fall for what ever McKenzie wanted. Not that she didn't get her way almost all the time anyways

"Anything you want." Brooke said standing up. "Here mommy will carry you." It was crazy how light Kenzie was in her arms. She had lost so much weight since she started treatment again she was skin and bones.

Once the two made it down stairs Brooke sat McKenzie on the couch and went to start the movie. Once she sat down the little girl crawled into her moms lap leaning her head against her chest.

"Do you want to try and eat something?" McKenzie shook her head her eyes fixed on the TV. This was a constant fight with the little girl. She never wanted to eat. Twice now she has been feed through a feeding tube because she became so malnourished and dehydrated. It was just one of the many battles she dealt with every day.

Brooke Davis gave birth to a beautiful 7 pound 4 ounce baby girl on January 7th. She was a perfectly happy and healthy baby.

However things changed five months after her third birthday. McKenzie had always been an active child. She loved to run around and she hated to take naps. It was a struggle to get that girl to sleep. However she started to sleep more and more. Pretty soon all she ever wanted to do was sleep and she kept complaining of a belly ache.

One day Brooke was giving her a bath when she noticed a bruise on her back. She ignored it thinking it was just from playing. She was three. Three year olds got bruises. Two days later she noticed another bruise this time on her leg and then one appeared on her shoulder.

Brooke had always heard the signs. Bruises. Drowsiness. Upset stomach. They were all signs. Signs that no mother wanted there child to have. Deciding it was time to get checked up Brooke took McKenzie to the doctor were her worst fears came true.

McKenzie was diagnosed with Leukemia, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia to be exact.

Brooke always worked on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Those days McKenzie went to preschool. The rest of the week was dedicated to Mommy daughter days. They would go to the park, to the little kid gym, or to the rec center for swimming.

However for nearly a year and a half now nothing was the same. Kenzie was put on high doses of Chemotherapy. She was no longer allowed to be a child, to go out and play with other kids. Her immune system was nearly shot. Any contact with a germ could kill her. It was almost like she was in her own personal bubble.

She went trough chemotherapy for fourteen months. It was fourteen months of pure hell. Fourteen months of restless nights spent in the hospital and up with a sick little girl. For fourteen months she put her life, her career on hold to save her little girl and they had.

McKenzie was currently in remission. She had been for four months now. She still had one round of chemotherapy a month and was still given medication at home but she was considered to be in remission.

Brooke remembered the day they found out she was in remission. It was a week after her most recent round of chemo and she had came in for her post check up. Brooke was sitting patiently in the doctors office while Kenzie was sitting at a little kid table coloring in her coloring book. She had a purple silk scarf wrapped around her bald little head.

"Hello Ms. Davis." Dr. Carson said as he came into his office, McKenzie's file and test results in hand. "How are you feeling today Kenzie?" He asked as she bent down next to the little girl.

"Fine." Was her simple reply.

"Well how about you hop up on the exam table and ill check you over."

"Okie doke." Putting the crayon she had currently been using back in her crayon box she climbed up on the table.

Dr. Carson did all the normal things he did during McKenzie's checkups. He would listen to her heart beat and her breathing. Check her temperature and blood pressure, and her height and weight.

"Alright were all done." He said with a smile as he pulled down Kenzie's shirt and helped her off the table.

"Everything seems to be fine." He told Brooke as he sat down next to her. "I see no signs of a virus or infection and I think you are going to be very happy with her most recent blood work."

"Happy?" Brooke asked praying that this was what he hoped it would be.

"Brooke all her counts were good. There was no sign of any abnormal or immature blood cells."

"Oh my God." Brooke said bringing her hand up to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. "That means-." She couldn't even say it out loud she was so happy.

"That means that Little Miss Kenzie is in remission."

Brooke broke down into tears. These weren't like any other tears she had cried in the past fourteen months. These were tears of happiness. Her little girl was in remission.

"Now she is still going to have to continue with treatment but it wont be nearly as intense as it has been. She will be on a lower dose of chemotherapy and instead of receiving it twice a month it will only be once a month."

Later on that afternoon Brooke took McKenzie out to celebrate. They went and saw a movie and then they got ice cream. Brooke still made McKenzie wear her face mask, to afraid of what could happen if she didn't.

Now four months later and she was still in remission, which was a good sign. If they could keep her in remission for five years then she would be considered cancer free by the time she was ten. However five years was a long time when it came to cancer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! I'm so glad your enjoying this story. I had no idea that there was another story like this.. Like I said in the last chapter I just started reading and watching One Tree Hill, so I promise I am not copying. I also completely forgot that CMM girlfriend is named Kenzie. Lol. Anyways please read and review ****J**** Hope you enjoy.**

**XOXOJordan**

"Will you play Barbies with me?" McKenzie asked as she walked into Brooke's office.

"I thought you were still sleeping." Brooke said as she placed her sketch down and picked up Kenzie automatically feeling her forehead. It was something she did out of habit. After nearly two years of having to watch out for even the smallest cold it had become a automatic reflex.

"I'm not sleepy any more." Kenzie said as she brushed her Barbies hair. "Your sketches are pretty Mommy." She said as she looked down at what Brooke had been working on. "Is it gonna be purple?"

"How about we go give you your medicine then maybe you can eat something, then will play?"

"Ok." Kenzie said happily as she hopped off her moms lap and headed downstairs into the kitchen.

"And I think the dress will be purple." Brooke said smiling as she followed Kenzie.

Brooke had become a pro at giving her daughter her medication. She first had to flush out her Broviac then she would insert the dose of medication needed. Once that was done she would flush it out once again and then clamp it shut making sure no air got inside during the process.

McKenzie had always hated needles so the fact that she wasn't getting poked at every day was a blessing. At first she wasn't fond of the catheter but after explaining to her that it was that or needles she was ecstatic.

"Swallow." Brooke said as she held a spoon full of a liquid form of her chemotherapy.

Doing as she was told Kenzie made a funny face and shook her head. "Yuck." she said reaching for her water as taking a drink. "All done?"

"All done." Brooke told her as she put the spoon in the sink and put all her medications back in the cabinet. "How about you go brush your teeth and get dressed while I make some breakfast?"

"Waffles?"

"Waffles!"

"Okie doke." Leaving her Barbie on the table McKenzie headed up stairs.

The rest of the day was spent with Brooke spending as much time with her little girl. Today had been a good day. McKenzie only managed to take one nap and she ate both breakfast and dinner. That was one of the many upsides to her being in remission. Because she was getting less chemotherapy she was getting less sick. Therefore she was getting her apatite back and starting to gain more weight. Brooke tended to let her eat whatever she wanted, even if it was ice cream for breakfast. It was just a blessing that she was eating anything at all.

"Mommy how come my hair isn't blonde any more?" Kenzie asked as Brooke washed the little amount of hair that she was starting to grow back. Kenzie wasn't very fond of it but Brooke had promised her that once it got a little bit longer they would get it cut into a cute little bob.

"Cause sometimes the medicine you have to take makes your hair change colors." Brooke told her.

"What if it came back purple!" The little girl said with a laugh. "Wouldn't that be funny?"

"Very funny." Brooke said with a smile. "Alright let's get you all dried and then tucked into bed." McKenzie stood up and held out her arms while Brooke wrapped the pink towel around her and carried her into the bedroom.

"Will you read to me?" McKenzie asked as she pulled on her Dora night gown.

Crawling into bed next to McKenzie, Brooke grabbed her book full of princess stories and began to read. It didn't take long before she was out like a light. Turning on the baby monitor she walked over to the door turning the light off. She had started using a baby monitor back when Kenzie was first diagnosed. That way if she ever got sick and needed Brooke she would be there in a heart beat. After cleaning up the kitchen Brooke fixed herself a cup of coffee and headed to her office. It was hard balancing a sick child and work but she managed it. Even if it meant sleepless nights between the two. However it had gotten a little easier in the last four months. She actually managed to spend a few days at the Clothes over Bro's headquarters within the last month. Pulling out her portfolio of her most recent sketches she picked out a simple dress and began to add to it. She was almost done when her phone started to ring.

"How's my best friend?" Peyton asked into the smiled.

"Good. Today was a good day."

"Well I'm glad B. I take it McKenzie was back to her old happy self today?"

"She actually had energy today. She only took one nap and she managed to eat more then usually."

"See Brooke she is getting better already."

"I know I'm just afraid she is going to relapse. The other day she coughed and I freaked out. When did I become a mom that worries about everything there daughter does?"

"When your daughter was diagnosed with cancer."

"Yeah I guess your right." Brooke said flipping through more sketches.

"Look B I know things are going great but I have something to tell you." Brooke didn't have to be around Peyton to know that whatever she was talking about was serious. "Lucas keeps asking about you."

Brooke sighed. "What did he want to know this time?"

"Just how you were doing. But I cant keep hiding this from him B. It was hard enough when I didn't live here but now I do."

"I know. Look would you maybe fly out here? Stay a few days with Kenzie so I can go see Lucas. This is something I need to say in person and not over the phone."

"Of course. Anything to come see my favorite niece."

"She misses you ya know?"

"Tell the little munchkin I miss her too and I will see her in a week."

After hanging up the phone Brooke went to check on Kenzie. She smiled when she saw her sound a sleep clinching her baby blanket. That thing had been with Kenzie for more then one sleepless night. Going over to her bed he bent down to kiss her forehead when she realized how warm her forehead felt on her lips. Placing her hand on her forehead she realized that Kenzie was burning up. Getting up and grabbing the thermometer from the bathroom she came back and placed it under Kenzie's arm. The little girl woke up at the sound of the beeping.

"Mommy?" She asked opening her eyes up.

"Hey bug. Are you feeling ok?" She asked reading the thermometer. 101.2 This was not good. Not good at all.

"I'm just hot." She said kicking her covers off. "And tired."

"Well you got a fever baby girl." Brooke said rubbing her back soothingly.

"Does this mean I have to go back to the hospicle?" Kenzie asked with a sigh..

Brooke nodded. "Yeah I'm afraid it does."

Kenzie sat up. "Ok." She said sadly.

Fifteen minutes later McKenzie was in her car seat and they were headed to the hospital. Brooke was trying not to panic. She had to be strong for her little girl. All she could think of was that she was relapsing that the cancer was back. After four months of remission it was back. She kept trying to tell her self that she just had the flu or a cold but deep down she new it was back.

"I'm here to see Dr. Carson." Brooke said as she carried a sleeping Kenzie in the hospital. "I called about ten minutes ago."

"Are you Brooke Davis?" The receptionist asked.

"Yes."

"Dr. Carson already has room 437 on floor four ready for your daughter. He should be at the nurses station up there."

"Thank you." Brooke said as she moved Kenzie to the other hip and headed for the elevator.

Sure enough when she got up to the fourth floor Dr. Carson was already there. Brooke placed Kenzie in the hospital bed then followed Dr. Carson outside into the hall.

"She's relapsing isn't she?" Brooke asked.

"We wont know for sure until we do a blood test and a bone marrow aspiration." He told her as he placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "But I am not going to lie to you, this is a sign of relapse."

Brooke slid down to the ground as the tears feel. "So what's next?"

"A nurse will come in in a minute to giver her some antibiotics for her fever. In the morning will run the rest of her test."

"And if she did relapse?"

"Lets wait for the test results first Ms. Davis." Dr. Samsung said.

Once he had left Brooke walked back into Kenzie's room. A nurse had already came and set up her IV. Kenzie slept right through it. Crawling in bed next to her Brooke wrapped her arms around her and silently cried. She didn't understand why this was happening. Things had been going so good lately. She was gaining weight, having more energy, becoming the lively little girl she had been fourteen months ago. She was going to go to kindergarten in the fall.

Now everything would once again have to be put on hold because of this damn disease.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mommy!" Kenzie said from her hospital bed. No answer. "Mommy." Kenzie said again.

"Why don't you let your Mommy sleep." Peyton said walking into her hospital room with a bag full of gifts.

"Aunt Peyton!" The little girl said happily as she saw her aunt walk into the room.

"Hey Munchkin." Peyton said as she came and gave the little girl a hug and a kiss. "Why do you want her to wake up for anyways?"

"To show her my sticker the nurse gave me." Kenzie said pointing to it. "Isn't it cool? It's Cinderella."

"Very cool." Peyton said smiling.

"Did you bring me presents?"

"Now why would I do that?" Peyton asked with a bog grin on her face.

"Cause I'm your favorite niece!"

"You're my only niece." Peyton said tickling her.

"Stop it!" Kenzie said laughing. "Aunt Pey!"

"Alright alright." Peyton said as she stopped tickling her. "Here ya go."

Kenzie tore into the bag. "Hannah Montana sing along for the Wii!" Kenzie said happily. "Thank you!" Setting the game down she gave Peyton a hug.

"No Problem."

Brooke had called Peyton last night in tears. Telling her how Kenzie was in the hospital and she might be relapsing. Brooke didn't have any other family. Her parents refused to talk to her the moment they found out she was pregnant. Peyton was all she had. So doing what any best friend would do, she hopped on the first plane out to LA.

"Pey?" Brooke said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up. Her back was killing her from sleeping in the tiny chair. "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't think I was going to let you go through this alone did you?" Peyton said as she came and gave Brooke a hug.

"You're a good friend P Swayer."

"I know." Peyton said smiling.

"How's my bug feeling today?" Brooke said as she walked over to where Kenzie was sitting in her bed.

"Fine. They gave me a sticker cause I did good when they drawed my blood." She said proudly showing her mom the sticker. "And Aunt Pey gave me the Hannah Montana Wii game I wanted!"

"That's a cool sticker. That is very nice of Aunt Peyton" Brooke said before turning to Peyton. "Do you know if her doctors been in yet?"

Peyton shook her head. "I just got here about ten minutes ago."

"He hasn't yet." Kenzie told her mom. "Kelly just came in drawed my blood." Kelly was Kenzie's favorite nurse. She often got sucked into playing Go Fish or coloring with the little girl.

Brooke, Peyton and McKenzie were in the middle of playing Go Fish when Dr. Carson came in. "If you don't mind I would like to take Kenzie down for her bone marrow aspiration."

"Ready to go?" Brooke asked Kenzie.

"I guess so. Can I have ice cream when I wake up?" She asked as she sat down in the wheelchair.

"Any flavor you want." Brooke said bending down and kissing her forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Peyton put a supporting arm around Brooke as they watched a nurse wheel Kenzie out of the room.

"She is one strong cookie." Peyton said squeezing Brookes shoulder.

"She sure is." Brooke said sadly, leaning her head on her best friends shoulder. "I'm glad you're here Pey."

Thirty minutes later McKenzie was back in her bed sound a sleep. It usually took about forty five minutes for her to wake up from the sedation.

"Ms. Davis I would like to talk to you." Dr. Carson said twenty minutes later. Brooke looked over at Peyton.

"Go." Peyton told her. "I'll get you if she wakes up."

Brooke followed Dr. Carson into his office biting her nails the hole way there. It was something she had taken up as a bad habit in the last couple years.

"Her test results came back and there were signs of abnormal blood cells." Brooke bit her lip. It was true. Kenzie was no longer in remission. "I am very sorry Ms. Davis.

"So were do we go from here?" Brooke asked running her hands through her hair.

"I would like to recommend a bone marrow transplant."

"Ill do it." Brooke said not even having to be asked. "I'll give her my marrow." When McKenzie had first been diagnosed there had been talk about a bone marrow transplant, but Dr. Carson had told her they liked to do that only if the chemotherapy failed.

"It's not that easy. Parents are rarely a perfect match to there child's bone marrow. Will take a blood sample from you but incase it comes back negative is there anybody else?"

Brooke didn't think twice. "Her father. Him and his family will get tested."

"Alright well why don't you go down to the lap and get your blood drawn. The results should be back within an hour or so."

Brooke walked back to her daughters room and couldn't help but smile. Peyton was brushing Kenzie's hair while Kenzie had a bowl of what looked like chocolate ice cream in front of her. Brooke never imagined that moments like this, seeing her little girl happy and eating would be some of the best moments of her life.

"Aunt Pey gave me ice cream like you said I could have." Kenzie said as she took a bite of the melting chocolate.

"I see that." Brooke said with a laughing at the little girls chocolate covered mouth. "But I think your supposed to eat it. Not paint your face with it." Grabbing a baby wipe she cleaned off Kenzie's mouth.

"Mommy is my blood sick again?" Kenzie asked once Brooke had finished cleaning off her chocolate covered face.

Brooke nodded. "Yeah baby girl it is." She said trying not to cry.

"Mommy is going to go talk to Aunt Peyton why don't you watch a movie until we come back?"

"Lady and the Tramp?"

"Of course." Brooke walked over to the hospitals playroom searching for Lady and the Tramp. The hospital had just about every movie you could think of. This made it a lot easier for the parents. Not having to bring a bunch of movies for the kids to watch. After finding the DVD she went and put it on in Kenzie's room before heading back out to the hall, Peyton following her.

"What's wrong B?"

"I have to go see Lucas." Brooke told her as she paced back and forth. "It's back and she needs a bone marrow transplant and I I'm not a match." She said as she fell into her best friends arms. "The one thing she needs to get better and I cant give it to her." She sobbed. "I'm her mom I'm supposed to fix her. To make her better."

"Its going to be ok Brooke." Peyton said rubbing her back. "Were going to figure this out."


	5. Chapter 5

"I can't leave her." Brooke said watching her little girl. She was currently in the living room playing the Hannah Montana game on her Wii. She had been released from the hospital two days earlier. They gave her a small dose of chemotherapy and she wasn't due for another round for two weeks. Peyton and Brooke both decided now was the best time for Brooke to go see Lucas. In between rounds of chemotherapy and before things got worse.

"We will be fine." Peyton said with a laugh. "Wont we Kenz?"

"Aunt Peyton said were gonna stay up late and listen to rock music." McKenzie said as she put down the controller and walked over to her mom and aunt.

"Don't corrupt my five year old please." Brooke said laughing. "I do not want to come home and find her with a tattoo."

"It was gonna say I love you mom."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Come on give your mom a kiss goodbye." Lifting Kenzie up she gave her a quick peck and a hug.

"Love you Mommy."

"Love you too bug."

"I'll call you as soon as I land." Brooke said giving Peyton a hug.

Brook Davis walked down the familiar streets of Tree Hill. Her hometown. The place she spent 17 years of her life growing up. In the past five years not much has seemed to change. Teenage boys played basketball down at the river court. There girlfriends smiling and laughing as they watched the game everybody in this town loved. She passes the night club TRIC, her best friend Peyton now ran. There were fliers up about the annual Breast Cancer Awareness benefit Peyton threw every year. Soon she ended up at the place were she had spent most of her time. Karen's Cafe Butterflies filled her stomach as she placed a hand on the door. She had to do this for McKenzie. She had to do this for herself. Taking one last deep breath she stepped inside ready for the conversation she had been scared to have the past year and a half. The café was just how she remembered it. There was that homey feeling she always got when she came in here.

"Lily be careful!" Turning around Brooke saw the one and only Karen Roe.

"Sorry mama." A little girl who looked to be about Kenzie's age said. She stopped running when she noticed her mom staring at Brooke. "Who are you?"

Brooke sat there stunned. "Brooke Davis." Karen said going up to the young girl giving her a hug. "What are you doing back in Tree Hill?" She asked happily. Karen had always had a soft spot for Brooke. Just like Lucas she missed the young girl when she moved away with her parents before there senior year.

"I uh came to see you and Lucas." Brooke told her.

"Mom! Why is Lily talking about some pretty brunette girl?" Lucas said as he came from back in the small kitchen.

"Cause there is a pretty brunette here." Karen said taking a step to the right so Lucas could see Brooke.

"Brooke." He said completely and utterly shocked.

"Lucas." She said as a tear slid down her face.

"Ill leave you two to talk." Karen said with a smile before hanging up the closed sign and going to the back. "I'll be at the house if you need me."

"Can I get you a coffee?" Lucas asked as he walked over to his ex-girlfriend.

"That would um be nice." Brooke said as she tucked a piece of hair behind her hair. Lucas went back in the back and Brooke decided to set down at one of the small tables. A few minutes later he returned with two cups of fresh coffee. "Thanks."

"No problem Pretty Girl." Lucas said referring to his old nickname for Brooke.

The two sat in silence for a moment. "So uh what brings you back to Tree Hill?"

Brooke sighed. "You actually." She said trying to smile.

"Me?" Lucas said grinning.

"I don't know if your going to be so happy when you here what I have to tell you."

Lucas stared at her with a confused look on his face.

"Look Luke I want you to know that I didn't find out until after I moved with my parents. I wanted to tell you but I got scared. You had so much going with your basketball and I didn't want to ruin it for you. Then this happened and I had to devote all my time to making sure she was ok and now she needs you. We both need you." Brooke said as she broke down crying. Lucas walked over to Brooke and wrapped his arm around her.

"Brooke I'll always be here for you. Come on tell me what's wrong?"

"Your going to hate me." She said as she covered her face up with her hands.

"I could never hate you." Lucas said sweetly as he tucked a fallen piece of hair back behind her hair. Brooke took a deep breath and turned to face Lucas.

"We we have a daughter."

Brooke was pretty sure that if Lucas's face turned any paler he would be transparent. The blond haired blue eyed man just stared at her shocked. Slowly he walked over to the window, placing his hand on the small ledge he looked downward.

"Please just say something."

Taking a deep breath he turned to face Brooke. Hurt and anger showing in his eyes. "Your telling me I have a daughter? A daughter who has to be like five years old? A daughter who you have kept a secret from me?"

Brooke walked over to Luke putting a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't want to keep it from you but I was seventeen!" She cried. "My parents pretty much disowned me I was afraid you would too."

Lucas moved away from her letting her hand fall to her side. "You new how much I resented Dan for walking away when I was born Brooke! You new how much that hurt me and they you chose to not have me in are child's life."

"Please just listen to me Lucas."

Lucas shook is head. "I cant do this right now Brooke. I I think it would be best if you just left." He pointed to the door before turning around and heading back in the back.

Brooke wiped her tear stained face before heading out the door. She was doing what Lucas had wanted. She was leaving. She couldn't handle this right now. She decided she would go back to her hotel, take a nice warm shower, web chat with Peyton and McKenzie and then go to bed. She wasn't going to give up though. She was going to get Lucas to take that test. She didn't care if he hated her or not. He would do it for McKenzie. Brooke just new it. Lucas was the kind of guy who would do anything for his daughter. No matter how long he had known about her existence.


	6. Chapter 6

Lucas kept pasing back and forth in his apartment. He had a daughter. There was a little girl out there that he helped create and he had know idea that she even existed until an hour ago. He couldn't understand why Brooke kept this from him. So what if she was scared.

She new how much he hated Dan for not being in his life while he was growing up. She new that he had promised himself he would never be like Dan. That he would always be there for his kids no matter what. Yet she took that opportunity away from him. It wasn't even his choice it was hers and knowing that killed him.

Grabbing his coat he headed out the door in search of finding Brooke. There were only two hotels in Tree Hill and he new that she would be at the bigger of the two. This was Brooke a girl who was anything but low class. After a little flirting with the front desk worker, she was a high school girl who new all about Lucas Scott, the basketball star, he managed to get Brookes room number.

He knocked twice before Brooke answered.

"Lucas." She said surprised that he came to see her.

"Why now?" He asked. "Why are you just now telling me I have a daughter?"

"Because of this." Brooke said moving out of the doorway and over to her purse. Lucas followed her inside not exactly sure what was going on. After digging through her purse she pulled out a photo and handed it to Lucas.

Lucas stared at it wide eyed. The picture was off a little girl. A little girl with no hair and laying in a hospital bed. Despite being in a hospital bed she had the biggest smile on her face. Her little dimples showing just like her moms. Brooke was sitting next to her with her arms wrapped around her.

"She has cancer Luke."

Luke sat down not sure how much longer he could stand. He just kept staring at the picture. The picture of his sick little girl. "Is she going to be ok?" He finally asked.

"She was until she relapsed." Brooke said sitting down next to him. "She was diagnosed when she was three. She went through chemotherapy for fourteen long months. But she stayed strong and she beat the cancer. She was in remission for four months. Then last week she got sick. The cancer is back." She said with a sigh. "Her oncologist thinks that a bone marrow transplant is her best bet."

"So that's why you came back?" Luke asked putting the pieces together.

Brooke nodded. "I'm not a match. It's rare that parents ever are but you could be Lucas. You could be the person to save are little girl. I know this is a lot to let soak in but this isn't for me or for you. This is for our little girl." Brooke said pointing to the picture. "We created her and its out job to save her."

Lucas didn't stay much longer. He had to get out of there and get some fresh air. He had to think.

When did things get so complicated? He thought things were going good. He was in the process of writing his second book. He was helping Nathan coach the Ravens. He was surrounded by friends and family. People that he loved. Then Brooke shows up and everything gets complicated.

He couldn't blame her. He could only imagine how tough this was on her. Trying to have a career in the fashion business and taking care of a sick kid. She seemed do worn out and tired. There were bags under her eyes. She had to of not been sleeping. He wouldn't be either if he was in her position.

Grabbing his basketball out of his car he walked over to the River Court. The one place he could just be himself. It was just him and the game.

"Lucas what are you doing here?" Karen asks when she finds her son standing at her doorstep in the pouring down rain at nearly one in the morning.

Luke falls into his moms arms as the tears fall. "I have a daughter mom." He cries. "A little girl and she's dying."

"Oh Lucas." Karen says sadly as she wraps her arm around her son.

Thirty minutes later Lucas and Karen are sitting at the kitchen table. Karen made them both a cup of coffee not that Lucas could drink any of it. He just stared into it as his mind wandered.

"Are you ready to talk yet?" Karen always new it was better to wait for Lucas to talk rather then try and drag it out of him. She had learned that at a very young age.

Lucas reached into his pocket and pulled out the picture Brooke had given him earlier, handing it to his mom. "Her names is McKenzie."

Karen looked at the photo and a lump formed in her throat. "She looks beautiful Lucas."

"What if she dies?" Lucas asked as his eyes filled with tears once again.

"Oh Honey." Karen reached over and grabbed his hand giving it a squeeze. "If she is anything like you and Brooke then she is a fighter."

"Brooke wants me to get tested. To see if my bone marrow is a match to hers."

"Your going to do it right?"

Lucas nodded. "I haven't even meet her yet and I already love her more then anything."

Karen came up behind Lucas and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing his head softly. "I always new you would be a great father Lucas. Now why don't you sleep in the guest room. I don't want you out in this storm."

"Hey mom." He said as Karen headed towards her bedroom. "Thanks for always being there for me. Even when I was young and stupid."

Karen smiled. "I'll always be here for you Luke."

Lucas walked into the guest room and found an old pair of sweat pants of his. Slipping them on he put his wet clothes in the dryer. After placing the picture on McKenzie on the bedside table he looked at it one last time before turning the light off and going to bed.


	7. Chapter 7

"How is Kenz?" Brooke asked Peyton the next day on the phone.

"She is fine. The real question is how are you?" Peyton asked back.

Brooke sighed. "Well Lucas knows. Now its all a matter of him taking the test."

"You did good B. Somebody wants to talk to you." There was a shuffling sound in the background followed by a little girls voice.

"Hi Mommy!" Kenzie said happily.

"Hey bug." Brooke said with a smile. "Mommy misses you."

"I miss you too. When are you coming home?"

"I'll be home in two days. Are you having fun with Aunt Peyton?"

"Yup!" The little girl said happily into the phone. Last night she let me stay up late and we played Barbies and made cookies. Then we watched one of my Barbie movies."

"That sounds like lots of fun."

"It was. Except Aunt Peyton isn't that great when she gives me my medicines. But don't tell her I said that cause she tried really hard to do it like you."

"Alright that will be are little secret bug." Brooke said with a smile. It had only been one day but she missed Kenzie like crazy.

"I love you Mommy."

"Love you too baby girl."

Kenzie handed Peyton the phone and ran off to play. She was in the middle of coloring a picture when Peyton came into her room.

"So what do you want to do today?" Peyton asked as she sat on Kenzie's bed.

"Is Mommy with my daddy?"

Peyton sat there shocked. She wasn't excepting to here that question come out of the little girls mouth. "Were did you hear that?"

"I heard you and Mommy talking on the phone last night."

"You were supposed to be asleep in bed."

Kenzie shrugged and sat down next to Peyton. "I wasn't."

"That is something you will have to talk to your Mommy about when she gets home."

"Ohkay." Kenzie said obviously not ok with the answer her aunt gave her.

"Come on lets go to the park."

"Mommy doesn't like it when I go to the park."

"What Mommy doesn't know wont kill her." Peyton said smiling.

Kenzie smiled back and ran off to grab her jacket and a scarf. "You're the best Aunt ever!"

"Don't forget your face mask!" Peyton called after her.

Brooke sat at the River Court bleachers waiting for Lucas. He had texted her this morning asking her to meet him there. He didn't give details or anything just asking if she could be there in an hour. Of course she could, she didn't have anything else in Tree Hill to do. She had been tossing the idea around about going to see Haley and Nathan but she wasn't sure how happy they were with her. She did disappear five years ago never to be heard from again.

"Hey Cheery." Lucas said coming up to sit by her.

"I don't think that name fits much anymore." She said giving him a weak smile.

"Yeah I suppose your right." The two fell into a comfortable silence. "What's she like Brooke?"

Lucas watched as Brookes face lit up as she talked about there daughter. "She is the happiest little girl there is. Even on her bad days she always has a smile on her face. She loves Hannah Montana and Barbies. I'm pretty sure she has every Barbie doll there is and she can sing every single Hannah Montana and Justin Bieber song. She has had the Justin Bieber Christmas cd on replay for the past week." She said with a small laugh. "She has my attitude but she has your heart. That little girl worries about everyone else more then herself."

"She sounds great Brooke."

"She is. I couldn't imagine my life without her Lucas."

"I want to get tested." Lucas said placing a hand on Brookes shoulder.

Brooke turned to him. "Really?"

"Brooke I would do anything for her."

"That really means a lot Luke."

Plans were made for Lucas to go that afternoon to get tested . It was a simple procedure. All he needed to do was get his blood drawn. They would send the results back to Dr. Carson and then he would call Brooke and Lucas as soon as he could.

The rest of the day was agonizing for Brooke. She just wanted to get the results back. To know if her little girl could be saved. If Lucas wasn't a match she wasn't sure what she would do. Sure there was other family out there but she hated to ask them. Besides Karen and Andy, nobody else new McKenzie even existed.

Waiting around was exhausting. Lucas found himself sitting on his couch with Brooke sleeping soundly on his chest. The two had been watching a movie and he wasn't exactly sure how it happened. He didn't mind though. He new how tiring this was on her. She needed her rest. Draping a cover over her he placed his arm around her and turned on the basketball game.

Lucas's cell phone rang and he automatically picked it up. "Is this Lucas Scott?"

"This is him." Lucas said into the phone looking down at Brooke.

"This is a Dr. Carson, McKenzies doctor and i have your test results back."


	8. Chapter 8

Brooke had been on the phone from the moment Lucas woke up. Lucas was a match! Kenzie could receive his marrow. He wasn't a perfect match like they hoped but he was as close as they were going to get. When Lucas woke her up telling her the news for the first time in days she cried happy tears.

Once the crying stopped she called Peyton, who also cried of happiness. Then she called Dr. Carson. They had an appointment in two days to discuss the procedure. While all this was happening Lucas was on the phone trying to get two tickets on the next flight to LA. The tickets were booked. They were leaving tomorrow morning. In less the twenty four hours Lucas was going to see his daughter for the first time.

When he called Karen to tell her the news she was ecstatic. She promised both Lucas and Brooke that if they needed anything her and Andy would fly out to LA in a heartbeat.

The plane ride to LA was the longest plane ride of Lucas's life. He had been there many times before, for his book tour and to visit with Peyton when she lived there. But going there now, and going to meet his daughter made it seem so much longer. The whole time he had this nervous feeling in his stomach. He was going to meet his daughter, his little girl for the first time. He couldn't even explain how he was feeling at the moment.

"Peyton and Kenzie are supposed to meet us at the airport." Brooke told him. Lucas just nodded. "Nervous?"

"Lil bit." He admitted.

"She is going to love you Lucas."

When the plan landed Brooke couldn't have gotten off any faster. She just wanted to see her bug. She had only been gone for three days but it was the longest three days of her life. Her and Lucas reached baggage claim and as she searched the crowed for Kenzie and Peyton she heard her voice.

"Mommy!" Kenzie yelled as she let go of Peyton's hands and ran over to her Brooke. Brooke picked her up and spun her around in a circle.

"I missed you bug!"

Kenzie laughed. "I missed you too Mommy."

Lucas's heart melted as he saw Brooke with McKenzie. It really was magical watching a mom and her daughter. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and looked up to find Peyton smiling at him. "A lot to take in hu?"

"Oh yeah." Lucas said giving her a hug.

"Kenzie I would like you to meet someone." Brooke told her. "This is Mommies very good friend Lucas." Both Lucas and Brooke thought that Kenzie needed to get to know him before she learned that he was her father.

"I'm McKenzie Rose Davis." She said with a smile.

"Well It is very nice to meet you McKenzie Rose Davis."

"Do you like Hannah Montana Lucas?" McKenzie asked as the four of them walked to baggage claim. Peyton and Brooke couldn't help but laugh at the little girls question.

"I love Hannah Montana." Lucas told her smiling.

The four of them went out to dinner, McKenzie's choice. She picked the pizza place she loved and even though she wanted to play the games more then actually eat the pizza Brooke was as happy as could be. Kenzie was taking to Lucas fairly well, the two of them had been playing games for almost an hour By the time they got back to Brookes house it was time for Kenzie to get to bed.

"Can't I stay up for one more hour?" Kenzie asked as they walked into the house.

"You already have stayed up an hour later." Brooke said putting her purse down on the counter.

Kenzie crossed her arms and stuck out her lip. "Aunt Pey let me stay up late."

Brooke glared at her best friend before turning back to her mad five year old. "Well I'm not your Aunt Peyton. Bed now." Kenzie slowly began to walk upstairs but once Brooke gave her a gentle smack on the butt she took off running. "I'll be up there to tuck you in in a few minutes."

Lucas leaned up against the wall as he watched Brooke and McKenzie. "Do you mind if I put her to bed?"

Brooke smiled. "Not at all Luke. Plus." She said turning to Peyton. "I need to have a talk with somebody about bedtimes."

"Hey now!" Peyton said throwing her hands up in defense. "You know that look she gives you that makes it very hard to say no."

Lucas walked upstairs and peaked into the doorways until he found Kenzie's room. It was just how he expected it to be. Two of the walls were painted a lavender. Her bed had a Hannah Montana bed spread with a Justin Bieber poster right about the head board. In the corner there was a giant Barbie house. A pink lamp sat on her night stand with a stack of what looked like princess books and she had a princess TV sitting on top of her dresser.

Kenzie was dressed in pink plaid pajamas sitting at her Hannah Montana table coloring. "Ready for bed?" Lucas asked as he stood in the doorway.

McKenzie put her crayon down and looked up at Lucas skeptically. "Your going to put me to bed?"

"You think I can't do it?" Lucas asked her as he walked over to her and bent down to be at her level.

"You're a boy."

"Boy's cant put little girls to bed?"

Kenzie gave up. "Ok." She said standing up and walking over to her bed. "But you have to tuck me in and read me a bedtime story."

"Alright." Lucas said as he sat down next to her. "What book do you want me to read?"

An hour later Lucas was slipping out of Kenzie's room trying not to wake her. It took three books to get that little girl to go to sleep. She just kept wanting to talk and talk then every time she was asleep, she woke up when Lucas tried slipping away.

"Three books later and she is out like a light." Lucas said as he joined the two ladies at the kitchen table.

"You read her three books?"

"Well yeah?" Lucas said not understanding were Brooke was coming from. "She didn't fall asleep after the first one so I read her a second then a third."

Brooke and Peyton looked at each other before bursting up laughing. "She never falls asleep when you read to her. She has a one book limit."

Lucas laid his head down on the table. "Thanks for telling me that after I read a book about Cinderella, a mouse eating cookies and some stuffed rabbit who wants to become a real rabbit."

"If you give a mouse a cookie." Brooke said with a grin. That is one of her favorites.

"Next time, warn me about bed time." Lucas said with a grin.


	9. Chapter 9

The next week was a very long stressful week on everyone. Kenzie was admitted at the hospital and they started her on her chemotherapy to get her ready for the bone marrow transplant. Brooke had warned Lucas how nasty it could get but he didn't except it to get this bad, and he didn't think Brooke had either.

McKenzie's immune system had to be completely shot in order for the bone marrow transplant to take place. They had the little girl on more drugs and chemotherapy then she had ever been on before. The little girl that was once lively and always smiling spent most of her time sleeping and getting sick.

Lucas was sitting on the small couch one day reading a book when Kenzie woke up crying for Brooke.

"Mommy!" The little girl yelled.

"Hey there." Lucas said walking over to her and rubbing her back.

"I want my Mommy." She said as she began to cry.

Lucas told her "Mommy had to go into work."

"I want Mommy." She said again.

"How about I lie down next to you and hold you. Would that make you feel better?" Kenzie nodded and Lucas crawled into bed next to her pulling her close. Kenzie laid her head on his chest and soon fell back asleep.

McKenzie managed to sleep for a few more hours. But the next time she woke up she got sick all over the bed. Lucas paged a nurse who came in and helped her get cleaned up as well as her bed freshly made. Lucas was holding her while the nurse changed the bed and he couldn't help but think about how comfortable it was having her in his arms, with her head resting on his shoulder. It just felt right.

Brooke arrived back at the hospital later that evening. When she reached McKenzie's room she found Lucas asleep with Kenzie in her bed and Peyton sitting on the couch doing something on her laptop.

"How is she?" Brooke asked as she sat down next to Peyton who let out a sigh.

"Today was a bad day." Brooke leaned her head on her best friends shoulder.

"Today I could hardly focus on my meetings. I kept thinking about her and if she was ok."

Peyton went home for the night and Brooke decided to try and get some sleep. It was going to be another long day tomorrow and as long as Kenzie and Lucas were sleeping, she might as well too.

"How about some breakfast." Brooke asked Kenzie the next morning. Kenzie just curled up in bed with her blanket.

"My mouth hurts."

"Let me see." Kenzie opened up her mouth and sure enough there were little mouth sores starting to form. "What if I could give you something to make your mouth not hurt?"

Kenzie leaned up against her pillow. "What is it?" she asked Brooke a few minutes later when she returned with a small cup.

"Water." You have to move it around in your mouth for one minute and then spit it into the cup ok?" Kenzie nodded. Scrunching her nose up she poured the drink into her mouth and began to move it around. Brooke counted to a minute in her head. "Done." Kenzie spit the water back in the cup.

"That's funny tasting water."

Brooke picked up the cup and threw it in the trash. "But it will start to make your mouth feel better. We have to do it twice a day ok?"

Kenzie nodded before laying back down and drifting off to sleep.

In the past week Brooke, Peyton and Lucas had tried to make McKenzie's room as homey as possible. They new that she was going to be here for the next few months so they wanted to make it as comfortable as possible. They brought her Wii, as well as her favorite books, some of her barbies and some board games. There were pictures she had drawn hung up on the wall and her robe and favorite purple slippers by her bed. Her Hannah Montana cover was sprawled over her bed and she even had a Justin Bieber poster hanging up on the door.

"How's are girl doing today?" Dr. Carson asked later on that afternoon.

"Sleeping for now." Brooke told him. "She was pretty sick earlier. She would have thrown up if there was anything left to throw up."

"I'll see about upping her Zofran." He wrote something down on a chart before going to talk to a nurse about administrating her some more Zofran. "Her nurse will be in shortly to give her some more."

"Thank you."

"Now I have her recent test results and I think she is only going to need one more round of chemo this afternoon."

"Then she can have the transplant?" Lucas asked.

"Yes. Now I would like to go over the procedure one more time with the two of you. The marrow that you donated is going to be inserted into her IV. The marrow will make its way to her bone marrow and hopefully start producing healthy blood cells. That is called enfragment and it could take up to a month for that to take place"

"What if it doesn't?" Brooke asked.

"There is a possibility of graft versus host disease. The new marrow does not recognize the organs and tissues and could began to attack them. We have been giving Kenzie a medication to hopefully stop this from accruing."

"So this could be harmful to her other organs?" Lucas asked as he reached for Brookes hand.

"Yes it could but we will have Kenzie on around the clock care and if anything happens we will hopefully catch it at an early stage. She will be placed on antibiotics to help fight of any infections. Many blood transfusions will also have to occur."

"It all sounds so scary."

"Bone marrow transplants are a scary thing Ms. Davis but we are going to do everything we can to make your daughter and family as comfortable as possible."

Once Dr. Carson left Brooke laid her head on Luke's shoulder. "I'm scared

"Its gonna be ok Brooke." He said as he rubbed her arm. "Everything is going to be ok."

"I had an accident." Kenzie said later on that afternoon when she woke up. Brooke walked over to her daughters bed to find out she had diarrhea.

"Oh Kenz." Brooke said sadly.

Kenzie's eyes welled up with tears. "I didn't mean to Mommy."

"Hey bug its ok." Brooke said rubbing her back. "I know you didn't mean too. How about I give you a bath? It might make you feel a little better?"

"Ok." McKenzie said as she wiped her face.

"Hey Lucas can you go run her some bath water and then see if a nurse will change her sheets?"

"Of course."

After Lucas went off to find a nurse, Brooke helped Kenzie walk to the bathroom and get undressed. Once she was safely in the bathroom she went back to grab her a fresh pair of pajamas to change her into afterwards.

Brooke couldn't help but wonder if this was how things were now, how bad were they going to get when the transplant started?


	10. Chapter 10

"My belly hurts." McKenzie said as she turned over in her hospital bed. Peyton automatically got up and went over to her side rubbing her back. She knew what was coming, grabbing the pink bucket she helped Kenzie sit up just in time.

It broke Peyton's heart to see the little girl so sick. Watching her as she dry heaved and coughed into the bucket. Once she was done she leaned back against Peyton as tears feel from her eyes.

"Where is Mommy or or Lucas?" She asked Peyton. She was breathing heavy and there were little beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Peyton rubbed her head only to feel the warmness of her skin.

"They went to go grab something to eat." Peyton told her as she placed the back of her hand on her forehead. "Kenz you're burning up."

"I'm tired." She said sleepily as she tried to keep her eyes open. Peyton laid the bed back down and pulled her cover over her tucking it in tightly. She had to go find a nurse or Dr. Carson, something wasn't right.

Once she was sure that she had fallen back asleep she slipped out into the hall. She spotted the nurse that was on call for the day Sam, and walked over to her. "Something is wrong with Kenzie." Peyton said once she reached the nurses' station. "She woke up sick from the chemo and she is burning up."

"Alright ill page her doctor and then be in there." Sam said with a smile as she grabbed the phone to page Dr. Carson.

Peyton nodded before pulling out her phone to call Brooke and Lucas.

Brooke practically ran through the hospital to get to Kenzie's room. She had been in the middle of picking at her salad when Peyton called her. She automatically discarded her food and after explaining to Lucas that something was wrong the two quickly made their way up to the 4th floor.

When they reached her room they found Peyton sitting there holding a crying Kenzie while Dr. Carson was in the process of drawing some blood. Brooke ran over to them sitting down next to the two trying to sooth the little girl.

"Hey bug." She said smiling. "Mommy is right here."

"I. want. My da-daddy." She said through sobs.

Brooke looked up at Peyton then over at Lucas who had been standing in the doorway. "She's been crying for Lucas."

Standing up Brooke walked over to Lucas. "She wants her daddy." She said with a smile.

Luke stared at her shocked. "Me?" Brooke nodded.

Lucas walked over to where Peyton and Kenzie were and sat down wrapping his arm around her. Kenzie grabbed ahold of his shirt and buried her head into his chest. "Daddy's here." He said softly as he rubbed her back.

Dr. Carson walked over to where Brooke was standing. "I'm going to put a rush on these blood tests. I think her counts are low and she might have an infection. We gave her some antibiotics and if her fever doesn't break soon I would recommend we get her some ice packs. It's pretty high right now."

Brooke nodded. "Thank you."

Forty minutes later and McKenzie's fever still hadn't broken. Sam had brought ice packs to place around her body and they kept giving her cold washcloths. The last time they had done this with Kenzie she hated it, but this time was different. She was completely out of it. All she did was sleep and she would not let Lucas leave her side. Anytime he moved she held onto him tighter. Every once in a while a little whimper could be heard from her but that was it.

"I'm going to go get her another blanket." Peyton said as she got up and left. They already had two blankets on her but with the ice packs; Lucas could still feel her tiny little body shivering.

"How's are princess doing?" Dr. Carson asked as he came back into the room.

"She is pretty out of it." Brooke said with a sigh. "Her fever has yet to break so they have her on icepacks."

Dr. Carson pulled out his thermometer and stuck it into the sleeping girl's ear gently. "Well it seems like these are working." He told them as he read the reading. "She was at 104.2 earlier and now she is down to 102.3. We will keep her on the packs for another hour or so and then check on her fever again."

"Did her blood test come back?"

"They did and her counts are in fact low. There was no sign of any infection so were going to keep a close eye on her and see if we can figure out what brought about this fever."

The rest of the day dragged on. McKenzie was pretty out of it. After being on the ice packs for nearly three hours they finally removed them her fever had gone down to 100.4 so they were hoping that the antibiotics would do the rest. At one point it seemed she was having trouble breathing so they hooked her up to oxygen as well as a heart monitor.

Lucas laid there next to Kenzie stroking her head. He was new to this. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, how he could make her more comfortable. This was Brooke's area; she knew how to make Kenzie feel better. But for some reason, unknown to Lucas she wanted him and not Brooke.

"You're doing great." Brooke said breaking the silence.

"I just want to make it all go away." He said as he looked down at the sleeping girl. "She should be running around playing. Nobody should be this sick."

The two were interrupted as McKenzie woke up coughing and gasping for air. Lucas helped her sit up while Brooke reached for the oxygen mask placing it around her mouth. "Breath baby girl, breath."

It took a good five minutes but Kenzie's body was no longer starving for oxygen. "I'm going to go get her Dr. Carson." Brooke told Luke once they had gotten McKenzie comfortable again. Worried was an understatement, Brooke was scared to death. Watching your child fight for a breath of air was one of the worst things a mom could see. Watching them as they gasped for air and there face turned blue.

Brooke was lucky when she saw Dr. Carson talking to a nurse at the nurses' station. "She is having trouble breathing still." Brooke told him. "She woke up coughing and gasping for air."

"Alright ill come take a closer look at those lungs of hers." Following Brooke the two walked into Kenzie's room. "McKenzie I'm gonna need you to sit up for me ok?" Dr. Carson asked as he woke up the little girl. Lucas helped her sit up by allowing her to lean back against his chest. "Good girl. Now when I say so I want you to take a deep breath ok?" Kenzie nodded sleepily, her breathing still heavy. Dr. Carson placed his stethoscope onto her chest. "Alright, deep breath." McKenzie took the best deep breath that she could and in the process she let out a cough that once again left her gasping for air. Reaching for the oxygen mask like Brooke had moments early he placed it around the little girl's mouth. "You're doing great Kenzie." He said with a smile before turning to Brooke. "From the sounds of it there is fluid in her lungs. I want to get a chest x-ray to verify but I think Kenzie may have pneumonia. I want to keep her hooked up on the oxygen and I'll be back soon to take her down for x-rays."

Brooke, Peyton and Lucas all sat around anxiously waiting for Dr. Carson to return with McKenzie after her x-rays. It had been nearly an hour and Brooke new that x-rays did not take that long. To say she was impatient was in understatement. For the last twenty minutes she had been passing back and forth.

"Brooke you're going to make a hole in the floor." Lucas said as he walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Brooke sighed as he guided her over to the couch.

"She should be done by now." She told Lucas as she began to bounce her leg.

"I'm sure everything is alright." He said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder pulling her close.

"Brooke, Lucas?" Dr. Carson said as he stood in the doorway.

"Where, where is Kenzie?" Brooke asked as she jumped up from were Lucas had been holding her. From the look on Dr. Carson's face something was wrong.

"You might want to sit down Brooke." He said as he walked into the room. Brooke shook her head. Lucas came up behind her placing a supporting arm around her. "McKenzie's x-rays showed fluid in her lungs, which is a sign of pneumonia; because her immune system is already shot she has no way of fighting it off. Things got pretty bad within the last hour so we had her moved to the ICU."

"Oh my God." Brooke said as she covered her mouth and her eyes began to water.

"She, she's going to be alright though right?" Lucas asked.

"She might not make it through the night." Dr. Carson said sadly.

Brooke felt like her world had just crumbled right in front of her eyes. The world began to close in on her and she was starting to have trouble breathing. Maybe this was what it felt like for Kenzie as she tried to breathe, a tightness in her throat that seemed to be getting smaller and smaller. She felt her knees give out but someone had caught her and guided herself to the small couch against the wall.

"Brooke I need you to breath." Dr. Carson said in his calm soothing voice as he walked over to her and Lucas. "You're having a panic attack."

Brooke tried to do what he was saying but every time she tried it felt like the oxygen was being sucked right out of her lungs. She felt Lucas's hand rub gentle circles on her back trying to calm her down. It seemed to help because soon the only sounds coming from Brooke were her sobs as she cried into Lucas's shoulder.

"Brooke I need you to understand that we are doing everything we can for Kenzie. We have her hooked up to a ventilator to give her lungs a rest as well as morphine for the pain and a handful of antibiotics."

Brooke lifted her head up from Lucas's now tear stained shirt. "I want to see her."

"I'll take you guys up there." Lucas and Peyton who had been silently crying and trying to calm Brooke down helped her stand up as Dr. Carson guided them down the hall and to the elevator.


	11. Chapter 11

"Brooke you haven't had anything more than coffee in twenty four hours. You need to eat something." Peyton told her.

Brooke just ignored her and instead kept staring at McKenzie's almost lifeless body. She hadn't left her side since Dr. Carson took them to her room the night before. Brooke had been sitting in that uncomfortable chair for nearly 18 hours now not moving a muscle. She just couldn't make herself move, afraid that the moment they left Kenzie alone she would slip away for good.

McKenzie had made it through the night which Dr. Carson had said was a big milestone. He thought that if little Kenzie was strong enough to make it last night then she would wake up and beat this.

"Lucas went to go talk to Dr. Carson about how this was going to affect her transplant schedule." To be honest Brooke hadn't even thought about how this would affect the transplant. No way was McKenzie strong enough for it now.

Peyton sighed when she had no reply. She knew this was hard on Brooke; it was hard on all of them. Brooke couldn't keep doing this to herself, it wasn't good and it wasn't going to help Kenzie get any better. "Brooke you can't keep doing this." Once again no reply. "Kenzie wouldn't want you to be like this."

Brooke lifted her head up with tears falling down her face. "Don't you dare say what Kenzie would want." She said angrily.

"If you don't start eating you're going to be the one in that hospital bed." Peyton said as she walked up behind Brooke. "She needs you to be strong and healthy for when she wakes up."

"What if I'm not here?"

"I will promise you that if she even moves in inch I will call you."

Lucas wasn't exactly sure where he was going but he had to get out of here. Out of the white dreary walls they called a hospital. Weren't hospitals supposed to be happy places, especially children's hospitals like this one?

He found himself outside facing the brick walls of the hospital and the next thing he knows his fist is colliding with the break as anger fills his body.

He hates this. He hates seeing Kenzie sick and Brooke wear herself thin as she worries about her. He hates watching Peyton cry herself to sleep at night hoping that nobody will see because she has to be the strong one, and he hates the news that Dr. Carson had just giving him.

Lucas had known that this would be a setback on McKenzie's transplant. The transplant was supposed to happen today and that obviously wasn't going to be happening. Not with her in the ICU fighting to stay alive. He knew that the transplant would be too hard on her body.

However he didn't expect to hear what Dr. Carson had said.

If Kenzie beat this and got better, he said she may never be strong enough for the transplant, and if she was it might be too late. It could take her body months before she is fully recovered from the pneumonia and ready for the transplant, and by then her cancer could have progressed far too rapidly than what they could stop.

He had explained that right now because they had to stop her treatments there was nothing in her system to fight off the cancer. It was too risky to mix the antibiotics and the chemotherapy all at once; doing that would make her at risk of organ failure.

Lucas slid down against the wall ignoring the throbbing pain in his right hand as he buried his head and cried. Slipping his cell phone out of his pocket he dialed the one person her could count on. "Mom?" He said into the phone. "I need you."

After taking a shower Brooke tried to get some sleep but every time she closed her eyes she pictured McKenzie all alone in her hospital bed. Sliding out of her bead she walked across the hall into her room. Her bed was unmade from her last sleep in it before they had headed to the hospital and she had Barbie's sprawled all over the floor. She began to walk around the room picking things up. Once she was done she laid down on her bed holding one of her stuffed animals and cried herself to sleep.

Through all of this Peyton new she needed to be strong, for Brooke, Kenzie and Lucas. They needed somebody who could be there to pick up the pieces and that was what she tried to do whether it was convince Luke to go out for some fresh air or get Brooke to eat. She had to be the strong one she couldn't let them know that this was killing her just as much as it was killing him.

That is why she always saved her tears for when she was alone. She didn't want them to see her cry.

"Peyton?" Lucas said as he slowly walked into the room.

"Oh hey Lucas." She said quickly as she wiped away the tears.

"Are you ok?" He asked sitting down next to her.

"Yeah I'm um I'm fine."

"Peyton its ok to be scared." Peyton looked up at him with tears in your eyes.

"I have to be the strong one, for for Brooke and you." She sobbed as the tears began to fall. Lucas wrapped his arms around her and held her head to his chest.

"Peyton don't you ever think that for one minute you can't be upset about this too. You love Kenzie just as much and Brooke and I,"

After crying into Lucas's arms for nearly an hour Peyton decided to go check on Brooke. It was nearly two in the afternoon and Brooke had been gone for almost two hours, much longer that what Peyton had expected. This gave time for Lucas to spend with his little girl.

"Hey Princess." He said as he grabbed her hand and kissed it. "You got to wake up soon. Christmas is in a couple weeks and if you don't wake up Santa might not find you. Mommy is worried about you and so is Aunt Peyton." A tear fell down his face and landed on her hand. "Daddy loves you don't you ever forget that."

Lucas bent his head down and closed his eyes trying to fight back the tears. It was then that he found a tiny movement underneath his hand; it was just the move of a finger. Looking up he watched as McKenzie's tired, glassy eyes opened up.


	12. Chapter 12

Lucas watched as fear filled her eyes when she tried to talk. The ventilator she had been on preventing her to do so. She began to move around as panic set in. Lucas quickly got up and sat down next to her trying to calm her down.

"Hey Kenzie I need you to stay still ok?" He asked as he placed his hands on her shoulder. "Dr. Carson has to come remove that tube, that's why you can't talk right now."

Lucas waited for her to give a nod before he paged a nurse, who in return got Dr. Carson as well as calling Brooke

Dr. Carson was very pleased to see McKenzie awake. He made it to her room in a matter of minutes to check her over and see how she was doing. "Alright Princess." He said as he pulled on a pair of gloves. "This might hurt for a second but then it will be all over." He told her softly as he began to remove the ventilator. Once the ventilator was out Kenzie let out a cough that shock her whole body. Reaching for a cup of water he helped place the straw into her mouth. "This will make your throat feel better." He told Kenzie.

"Daddy." McKenzie said her voice weak as she spoke for the first time. Lucas held her as Dr. Carson checked her pulse and temperature pleased to see that her temperature was only at 101.2.

McKenzie didn't stay awake for long. Dr. Carson assured Lucas that it was normal. Kenzie's body was weak and she would most likely be too weak to do much of anything for the next few weeks.

Brooke was pretty sure she had ran at least three red lights as she made her way to the hospital. A drive that would take fifteen minutes took her ten. Quickly parking the car she ran inside dodging every nurse and hospital staff that seemed to find their way into her path. She made it up to the ICU and into Kenzie's room in two minute's rushing over to where Lucas was sitting with Kenzie in his arms ignoring the nurse that was in the process of changing the hospital bed sheets

"How is she?" Brooke asked as she sat down next to them rubbing the sleeping girls head.

"Tired." Lucas told her. "She was up long enough for them to get her ventilator out then she fell asleep. Her throat was pretty sore." Brooke nodded as Lucas helped move Kenzie over to her arms.

Kenzie's eyes began to flutter open as she took in her surroundings. "Mommy." She said quietly.

"Hey bug how ya feeling?" Brooke asked softly with a smile plastered on her face.

"Tired." She said as her eyes began to flutter close.

"Sleep." Brooke said as she kissed her head and began to rub her back.

The next two days passed by slowly. They kept McKenzie in the ICU until her fever had nearly completely broken and she was no longer coughing so bad that she required oxygen. Dr. Carson had told them that the worse was over and that now it was a matter of getting her body strong enough for the transplant.

They were going to have to start all over considering it would be at least another two weeks before McKenzie could start back up on Chemo. Dr. Carson had also explained that they were going to be watching very carefully, as well as doing a spinal tap, to see if her cancer would be progressing at all while she took a break from the chemotherapy.

"Can we write my letter to Santa Clause?" McKenzie asked as she sat in her hospital bed coloring. She had been back in her old hospital room for not even a day and you could tell she was much happier. When she was up in the ICU she didn't really have much to keep her occupied the few times she was awake, however now she could watch movies, color, or play board games with her Lucas and Peyton.

For the last twenty minutes or so Kenzie had been up and coloring while Brooke worked on her new line. McKenzie was definitely starting to come around she had insisted that Brooke put in her Justin Bieber Under the Mistletoe CD.

"We sure can." Brooke said as she sat down her sketches and dug through her bag for a pen and paper. "How about you tell me what you want and color a picture while I write it down?"

"Ok!" She said happily as she began to flip through pages in her Christmas coloring book decided on one of Rudolph. "Dear Santa," She started out. "I have been a very good girl this year."

"That's a good start." Brooke said writing down what Kenzie was saying word for word.

"This Christmas I would like the new Barbie that comes with her own plane and the Justin Bieber Barbie."

"Don't you have a Justin Bieber Barbie?" Brooke asked looking up at the four year old.

"There is a new one!"

"Oh alright alright." Brooke said with a laugh. "Anything else?"

"I also would really like it if I could spend Christmas at home with Mommy, Daddy and Aunt Peyton."

Brooke's heart melted when she heard those words come out of Kenzie's mouth. She just wasn't sure if it was possible that Kenzie would be home for Christmas. It was only ten days away and Kenzie was still fighting of the pneumonia. Her leaving the hospital was just too risky.

"Can I have a drink of water?" Kenzie asked as she covered her mouth a cough escaping her lips.

Brooke reached over handing McKenzie a small cup filled with ice water. "Are you ok?" Brooke asked once she was done taking a drink.

Kenzie nodded. "My throat hurts." She said sitting down her crayon.

"Would some ice cream make it feel better?" Brooke asked with a smile. The past three days Kenzie had only been allowed soft foods, things like jello, apple sauce and ice cream.

"Chocolate?"

"Of course." Brooke grabbed her phone and texted Lucas. He had gone out to pick up Karen from the airport and she was sure he would bring some ice cream back.

Later on after Kenzie had first woken up Lucas told Brooke that he had called his mom. She had been away with Andy but she had promised him that she would come as soon as she could. After Kenzie had woken up Lucas called her saying that she didn't need to come but she still insisted.

"Did Daddy and Aunt Peyton go pick up my grandma?"

"They sure did and they are going to bring you some ice cream back."

"I'm excited to meet them." Kenzie said as she let out a yawn.

"Well it's still going to be about an hour so why don't you take a nap and I will take you up when they get here."

Kenzie laid down and pulled her covers up to her chin. "Ok." She said sleepily as she closed her eyes.


	13. Chapter 13

"Lucas she is beautiful." Karen said as they walked into McKenzie's hospital room. Lucas had warned her about how sick and tiny the little girl was, but to Karen she looked beautiful.

"Karen." Brooke said with a smile as she went to go give her a hug. "Thank you so much for coming."

"You guys should have called me sooner." Karen told the two. "She is gorgeous Brooke."

Brooke grinned. "She is isn't she?" She asked looking at the sleeping little girl. "She was very excited to meet you. I told her I would wake her up when you and Lucas got here."

"Well don't do that. She needs her rest."

"Does this mean I get to eat her ice cream?" Lucas joked. Brooke glared at him. "Alright I'll put it in the freezer." He said shaking his head as he walked out the door. The nurses' station had a fridge that they allowed patients to keep food and drinks in.

"He is a great dad to Kenzie." Brooke told Karen as the two walked over to the couch to sit down. "She adores him I think she might even be turning into a daddy's girl."

"I always knew he would be a good dad."

Brooke sighed. "I wish I had told him earlier Karen I really do."

Karen put her arm around Brook and gave her a squeeze. "I know you do but all that matters is the present can't dwell on the past."

"Your right. So how is Andy and Lily Lucas told me so much about them."

The two women talked for nearly an hour while McKenzie slept and Lucas went off to do some Christmas shopping. She had told him how McKenzie wanted to go home and they decided that if she wasn't going to make it home, they would just have to decorate her room.

"Mommy." Kenzie said as she rubbed her sleep filled eyes.

Brooke got up and walked over to her. "There is somebody who wants to meet you bug."

McKenzie sat up only to find Karen smiling at her. "Are you my grandma?" She asked the strange woman.

"I sure am and you are Kenzie right?" Karen asked with a smile.

Kenzie nodded then turned towards her mom. "You told me you would wake me up when she got here!" She said with a pout as she crossed her arms.

"I told her to let you sleep." Karen said it's my fault.

"Ohkay."

Kenzie and Karen really hit it off. Kenzie loved hearing about the big boat that she lives on and all the pretty places she had gone to.

"I'll be right back." Brooke told Karen as she got up. "Lucas wants me to meet him downstairs."

Brook grabbed her jacket and headed downstairs. She had no idea what Lucas wanted but whatever it was it sounded important. When she got outside to the main entrance she couldn't help but laugh. There was Lucas and Peyton with bags filled to the brim of what looked like Christmas presents and decorations.

"What did you buy the whole store?" Brooke asked as she rushed over to grab a bag that was slipping from Peyton's hand.

"I think we might have." Lucas said as he handed her some of his bags as well.

"Keep the presents in the car, we can go home and wrap them later."

The three of them headed back up to the fourth floor carrying the bags. Lucas was pretty sure that everyone they passed gave them a strange look. But he didn't care; if this was going to make Kenzie happy then he would do it.

"We have a present for you!" Peyton said happily as they entered the room.

"What is it?" Kenzie asked getting excited. She loved presents.

"Christmas decorations."

Brooke watched as the smile on McKenzie's face turned into a frown. "Oh." She said quietly.

"Hey what's wrong?" Lucas asked as he sat his bags down and walked over to her.

"I told Santa Clause I wanted to go home for Christmas."

Lucas wrapped his arm around her. "I know you did princess but you're still sick right now."

"I wanna go home." Kenzie told him as a tear fell down her face followed by more and more.

"I know you do baby girl." Lucas said as he held her and rubbed her back.

Brooke didn't bother to stay much longer she had to find Dr. Carson. She searched for nearly ten minutes and then found him in his office.

"I need you to allow Kenzie to be at home for Christmas." Brooke said the minute she entered his office.

"Brooke you know as well as I do that right now that isn't in option." He said sadly as he sat his book down and took off his glasses.

"She is only four years old." Brooke told him. "She asked Santa if she could just have Christmas at home and now she is crying because I just told her she couldn't."

"Brooke you do realize that if I allow Kenzie to go home there are risks."

"There are always risks, the last two years of her life have been risks and each time she has made it through. I know my daughter and she is a fighter, a fighter who deserves to be home for Christmas."

Dr. Carson went over to a filing cabinet were he pulled out Kenzie's file. "Alright Brooke ill make a deal with you. Christmas eve is in ten days correct?" Brooke nodded. "Well if Kenzie's fever goes away for twenty four hours without any medication then we will send her home. However she is going to be on strict rules. Your house has to be completely clean and disinfected, any time that she eve steps foot out that door or this hospital door she must wear a face mask, and if there is any sign of her getting sick or running a fever you are to bring her in immediately. Also I am going to give her a prescription of medications as well as a lung machine. She is to breath into it for five minutes twice a day to help her lungs get stronger."

Brooke smiled. "I think we can handle all that."

"And I want to see her back here New Year's Day. I want to try and start her on a low dose of chemo as soon as possible."


	14. Chapter 14

Brook had been scrubbing at the counter top for the last thirty minutes. The house reeked of bleach and every other cleaning supply's she had been using that day.

"Brook I think it's clean." Peyton said as she walked out of the laundry room with a basket of sheets and blankets.

"McKenzie is coming home." Brook said as she dipped the sponge back into the bleach water. "The house can't have a single germ in it."

Peyton walked over to the brunette and took the sponge out of her hand. "I don't think the house can be any cleaner."

"Alright I have cleaned off all of the decorations." Lucas said as he carried the bags from the garage and into the living room. "Even though they were brand new."

"See Brook no germ stands a chance in this house."

"Yeah and if it does I'm sure you'll squirt it with bleach faster than it can say bless you." Lucas said laughing at his own joke. Brook and Peyton both rolled their eyes.

"How about you two go spend Kenzie's last few hours in the hospital with her and me and Karen will finish up around here."

"We can do that cant we Brook?" Lucas asked as he walked over to her. Brook looked down at the sponge and then back at Lucas.

"Your right." She said taking off her plastic gloves. "Let's go."

"Grandma says I get to go home for Christmas!" Kenzie said happily as Brook and Lucas walked into her room.

"You sure do." Brook said as she gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before picking up things that Kenzie had accumulated over the weeks.

"Let's go!" She said as she jumped off her bed only to stumble. Luckily Lucas was there to catch her.

"Whoa slow down there firecracker." Lucas said with a laugh as he picked her up and then placed her back down on her bed. "Dr. Carson has to come check you over and a nurse has to unhook you from your IV."

Kenzie crossed her arms. "Fine."

Lucas ignores the four year olds attitude and turned to Karen. "Thanks for staying with her this morning."

Karen smiled. "No problem. I wish I could spend Christmas with you guys."

Luke gave his mom a hug. "Don't worry about it Lily and Andy miss you."

"You be good for your parents ok?" Karen said as she bent down so she was eye level with Kenzie. The little girl nodded.

"Do I really have to wait till Christmas morning to open up my present?"

"Yes you do." Karen said as she gave her a hug and a kiss "Be strong." She told Brook.

"Thank you for everything Karen."

"It was nothing. Call me and keep me updated. If you need me I can be here in a matter of hours. Me and Andy are going to be staying in Tree Hill for a while."

Once Karen had left Lucas and Brook finished packing up McKenzie's room while McKenzie sat in her bed still pouting.

"Santa doesn't visit little girls who pout." Lucas told her as he picked up her slippers and put them into her suitcase.

"But Santa does visit sick little girls." Kenzie told him mater of factly.

"Not if they don't listen to their parents."

Kenzie sighed. "Ok I won't be mad anymore."

"Good because in about thirty minutes you are free to go home." Dr. Carson said with a smile as he walked into the room.

"Yay!" Kenzie said grinning from ear to ear.

Lucas parked the car and looked back only to find McKenzie sleeping in her car seat. It had taken a little longer than expected to get all her discharge papers filled out and now it was nearly seven o'clock.

"Your mom said she didn't sleep much today. It must have been the excitement of coming home."

"I'll carry her in and get her in bed. She can see all the decorations in the morning."

"Alright ill get her bags." Brook said as she got out of her SUV and opened up the back.

Lucas opened the back seat door and tried to unbuckle Kenzie as gently as he good. Lifting her up out of her booster sea she curled her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Are we home?" She asked tiredly, keeping her eyes closed.

"We sure are." He said carrying her up the sidewalk and into the front door. Peyton was sitting on the couch when she saw them come in.

"I'll help Brook get the rest of her stuff. Her bed is all made."

"Thanks Pey." Lucas said as he carried McKenzie into her room.

"Do you want to go potty before I tuck you in?" Lucas asked her. Kenzie shook her head no. "Alright."

The minute Lucas laid her down she curled up into a ball. Lucas pulled the covers over her and kissed her head. "Love you."

"I love you too daddy."

Leaving the door cracked a little, Lucas went to see if Peyton and Brook needed any help. He couldn't help but smile as he saw the decorations. The tree was up as well as lights around the windows. Hanging from the fireplace were four stockings that read; Mom, Dad, McKenzie and Peyton.

The rest of the evening was spent with Lucas, Brook and Peyton sitting around in the living room talking. They had a Christmas Story playing and hot chocolate in hand. It was the first peaceful night they had had in a while and all three of them were enjoying it.

"So what would you ladies like to do tomorrow?" Lucas asked as he got up to put is mug in the sink.

"Well since Kenzie isn't allowed to leave the house I figured we could make cookies, watch Christmas movies, things like that. I could cook dinner."

"That sounds like a great idea except for the dinner part." Peyton said laughing. Brook looked hurt. "I remember when you tried to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving."

"It wasn't my fault that the timer didn't go off!"

"It is when you forgot to start it in the first place.

"You burn a turkey?" Lucas asked laughing.

"Shut up." Brook said as she leaned back into her pillow and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, no cooking for Brook." Lucas said only to receive a smack in the head.


End file.
